Athanasius II Baldoyo

Biography

Athanasius was born in the city of Balad in Upper Mesopotamia and studied sciences, Syriac and Greek, with his friend Jacob, under the tutelage of Severus Sebokht at the Monastery of Qinnasrin. He moved to the Monastery of Beth Malke, near Antioch, not the Monastery of Mar Malke in Tur Abdin as originally believed, and became a monk. Athanasius studied philosophy and translated several Greek theological and philosophical works into Syriac, such as Porphyry's Isagoge in January 645.

Athanasius later became a priest and moved to Nisibis, where he continued to translate Greek texts into Syriac. In 666-667, he translated nine treatises of the Hexameron of Basil of Caesarea, as suggested by Matthew, Bishop of Aleppo, and Daniel, Bishop of Edessa. Matthew and Daniel later requested a translation of several letters of Severus of Antioch into Syriac which was complete in 669, under the pen-name of "Athanasius of Nisibis". Athanasius also translated Severus' Second Discourse against Nephalius, several homilies by Gregory of Nazianzus, and the Corpus Areopagiticum by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite.

Athanasius was consecrated patriarch at the end of 683 and issued a ten-page proclamation, and four canons on Christian conduct with Muslims. He condemned the consumption of sacrificial meat, participation in Muslim festivals, and relationships with Muslims. In 684, he ordained his friend Jacob as bishop of Edessa. Athanasius also wrote a number of supplication prayers, several of which were to be used at the celebration of the Eucharist, and prayers for the dead. He died at the end of 686.